Hello there, friend! My name is Love and I am a '23. Aside from being on the pre-med track, I'm currently interested in studying math and public policy. I have a penchant for old things, learning languages, and the arts. I also love personality tests, irrespective of their actual validity—in case you're curious, I'm an INFJ, Scorpio, dragon, and type 2w1.
BIOL 11.07 (Major Events in the History of Life and the Human Genome) is a very unique class. We learn topics such as oxidative phosphorylation in conjunction with evolution and paleontology. In other words, where and when did ETC come from, and how can we support our hypothesis? Though not an easy class by far, every day the material I learn amazes me with the wonder of life, which is how biology should be!
MES 7.03 (Jerusalem: Vision and Reality) was my First-Year Seminar and such an interesting class to take! We explored Jerusalem through three main viewpoints (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). The class had a bit of religion, literature, anthropology, sociology, and even geography—all things I love to study but don't necessarily have the space for with our three-class quarters. I often found myself going to office hours just to talk with my professor about questions I had outside of the reading!
COSC 10 (Problem Solving with Object-Oriented Programming) is a data structures course and the last pre-requisite for the computer science major. Though I added it as a fourth class on a whim because of COVID-19 and remote learning, it quickly became my favorite class this term because I loved the problem solving that CS has to offer. It is a difficult class but the emotional and academic rewards make it all worth it!
This was one of four classes I took during fall term and it was super interesting! We learned about healthcare systems and innovations from around 4 guest lecturers per week, and were able to do research on our own and propose a new system at the end of the term. Students came from all over campus and the course was very enlightening for me in terms of understanding how care is dispensed in the U.S. and how we can improve it.
Though this was my first "foundation" course in the Biology department and I still found it challenging, I really enjoyed learning the material and found it all super exciting! We learned about DNA replication, mRNA transcription and protein translation, genetics, and had the opportunity to do a literature review at the end of the term.
The dreaded Organic Chemistry sequence of my pre-med track came upon me faster than I thought it would, but it surprised me by being one of my favorite classes to date! I found it intellectually interesting (even though it was time-consuming), probably because I treated it like a STEM-and-logic puzzle instead of pure STEM or pure memorization. Am I great at it? Not necessarily. Do I remember everything I've learned? I'm not too sure! Am I mentally ready for Organic Chemistry 2 next term? Not at all! But I had a lot of fun doing this class and surprised even myself with how I tackled it.
I love dancing, story-telling, and learning about different cultures so I knew going into this course that I would enjoy it. Cross-listed in the theater and AAAS departments, this course let students have the privilege of working with Dance Theatre of Harlem members who were in Hanover for a summer residency. As a group, we analyzed a play ("The Purple Flower" by Marita Bonner) and transformed the text into a physical movement piece. Each student also had complete ownership of a personal final project, and I opted to do a self-choreographed dance. Overall, I loved getting the chance to work creatively in my academics this term and I also was able to broaden my perspective and knowledge of the African-American story in the process!
As a pre-med, I am constantly trying to learn more about the U.S medical system. This course was extremely engaging in all aspects, taking students through all of American history through the lens of healthcare within the span of 10 weeks. I particularly liked having a discussion session that replaced a lecture, since we were able to talk about the issues with the professor and think out loud about our readings. The course was definitely challenging and required a lot of synthesis across different time periods and topics, but I feel like I came out of it with a deeper and more profound understanding of our healthcare system and why it functions the way it does today.
WinterDetroit, MI
For my junior winter, I did an internship in clinical research! With COVID affecting so much of my college experience, this practical, in-person work internship was very important for me to not only hone my employable skills but also see what having a 8am - 5pm job looks like and how it could fit into my future.
Much like my other pre-med courses here at Dartmouth, Biochemistry was quite rigorous and fast-paced. It was certainly challenging, but I found the work extremely rewarding and I enjoyed learning about all the different mechanisms that happen inside of our bodies. Additionally, many of my friends were also in this class as well, rounding out final prerequisites for graduate school, and this fact made it all the more fun.
SummerDresden, Germany
For my junior summer, I had a research internship in Eastern Germany, working at the intersection between math, computer science, and biology! The learning curve was very steep since my project focus changed once I arrived in Europe, but I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about the content and myself. I am extremely thankful for all the support that Dartmouth has given me throughout my time here, without which I wouldn't have been able to do a 12-week European adventure!
As a pre-med student interested in health disparities, SOCY 75 was an amazing class to take! We covered numerous topics concerning how where one lives can impact their health outcomes. At the end of the course, students were also able to complete a final project of their choosing and I loved being able to tie my personal experiences into an academic course.
Throughout college, most of my science courses have been at the introductory level: one term of genetics, one term of cell structure, etc. Rarely have I had the chance to engage with something on a deeper level or connect the pre-med courses to human biology. This course was super interesting because I could finally connect everything I've learned throughout college into one cohesive course that connects to something I want to do post-Dartmouth.
This past weekend, I was out-of-town on a retreat with the Alabaster Group, which is a Christian church based in NYC that also serves Ivy League students. Every term, they hold a conference and invite students to come for the weekend, giving them the opportunity to take time out of their schedules to recenter, pursue God, and talk about life with like-minded individuals. I've met many wonderful people during these weekends, and grown closer to students from Dartmouth as well. I think it is important to talk with those who share similar values and with those whose character you admire; these retreats are places where I am able to do that away from the hustle-and-bustle of academics!
Alabaster is, however, just one of many ways to get involved with other Christians at Dartmouth. In this post, I'll talk a little bit about the Christian community and remaining centered on one's faith while in college. The road to your diploma and the professional world can be a difficult one, and any sort of support is helpful! I will note that there are also lots of other avenues to explore and grow deeper in other religions at Dartmouth as well. Since I am a Christian, I will just speak from my own experience!
Every Dartmouth Christian's faith journey is different. Some of us grew up in the church, whereas others came to faith during college. At Dartmouth, there are many ways to engage with one's spirituality, either through the Tucker Center, student organizations, community churches, or personal mentors. Due to COVID and other recent campus events, the Christian student organizations have been in a bit of a transition period since I've been a student. New groups are being formed whereas older ones are retiring, and naming specific groups may not be entirely helpful. Therefore, I suggest that if you are ever curious, the Tucker Center's website should have an updated list of Tucker Center-recognized groups, and reaching out to students who are listed as leadership will also help you learn about other organizations!
Getting involved with a religious group is all about what you want. Many groups hold retreats throughout the year to help members bond and talk about their faith in a designated space. There are also weekly meetings for fellowship and one-on-one opportunities for connecting and personal growth. As you navigate Dartmouth and meet people, you'll start to meet other students outside of formal spaces who share similar values. Older students often act as mentors for underclassmen even for matters outside of religion—therefore, if you ever need help, these faith-based communities could be great resources for you.
One of my very first friends and people who made me feel supported at Dartmouth was a '20 I met through Christian fellowship. As a senior now, I try my best to be there for others in a similar way. Though life hasn't always been easy, I lean on my values when times get difficult and I have to credit Dartmouth's Christian community for a lot of personal growth and development that I've had over the past few years. If you're looking for a group of individuals who share similar values, I highly encourage you to try out a religious or spiritual community!
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
